Don Orr

About half way through my first career as an officer in the Army and returning from my second tour in Vietnam I became interested in metal sculpture and a gentler way of life. I did the “cannons into plowshares” thing sold my pistols and bought my first welding outfit. Through trial and error I perfected my welding and metal working skills. While assigned to Germany I had an opportunity to take some design and sculpture courses from the University of Chicago which is the extent of my formal training . After retiring from the Army in1984 my metal sculpturing went through a hiatus period due to re-locations and career changes and it wasn’t until 1996 that I got back into actively pursuing my craft and displaying my work

In 2000 I joined a local art Co-operative and moved into my current studio at 1603A South Wahsatch Ave in Colorado Springs. I have participated in two and three person shows at the Pikes Peak Community College Downtown gallery, the Permanent ProfessorsArt Gallery of the Air Force Academy and juried shows sponsored by Pike’s Peak Art Council, Colorado Springs Art Guild, the Colorado State Fair and the Business of Art Center and have been I have completed a number of large outdoor commissions for commercial and non-commercial applications. I have participated in the cities of Greeley, Parker and Colorado Springs Art on the Street loan programs. I have been represented by a number of local galleries the last being Gallery Two-Ten.

My vision is to exploit the properties of various metals, patinas and stained glass so that the viewer can enjoy both the tactical and visual aspects of the sculpture. My work if it had to be categorized would be between abstract and representative art. The titles of my work provide the viewer with an insight to the nature of the work